By LINDA McGURK
Indiana Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Indiana farmers interested in trying conservation practices on their land may be eligible to receive state funds as well as technical assistance from their crop consultants, thanks to a new pilot program.

“The goal is to get more farmers to try conservation practices with their personal crop consultant guiding them,” said Tammy Lawson, assistant director of conservation programs at the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). “We’re trying to get the word out that there are still funds available.”

The Conservation Consultation Incentive (CCI) program was launched in February and is available to farmers and crop consultants in 31 counties within the Wabash River Tributary.

“It’s an easy program to participate in and there’s not a lot of red tape,” said Lawson. “As a farmer you don’t have to commit to anything. It’s kind of like a coupon that gives you an opportunity to try something new.”

The initiative addresses four areas of conservation: nutrient management, pre-sidedress soil nitrate testing, residue management and filter/buffer strips. It provides 50 cents per acre for participating farmers and $1 per acre for crop consultants.
So far, CCI has paid out $14,000 to participating farmers and $28,000 to crop consultants, and more than $132,000 in incentives are still available. But according to Lawson, the benefits don’t end there.

“A lot of these incentives are designed to help farmers be more profitable,” she said. “If you manage nitrogen levels to minimize waste, you’re saving money. And if you practice no-till, you decrease the number of passes across the field. I think it’s a win-win situation.”

What makes the program unique is that it offers financial incentives to crop consultants for taking on a more active role in conservation. For example, if a farmer wants to give no-till practices or a cover-crop system a try, he can turn to a participating crop consultant for advice.

“The ongoing one-on-one support local crop consultants provide farmers through conservation programs benefits the farmer by increasing environmental stewardship and financial rewards,” said ISDA Acting Director Ken Klemme, in a statement.

More than 60 farmers and 20 crop consultants have received funds through CCI to date. Together, they will implement new conservation practices – mostly in the areas of no-till, cover crops and nutrient management – on 28,000 acres. If the program is successful it will likely be funded again, and hopefully made available to farmers across Indiana, Lawson said.

“We really need farmers and crop consultants to get in and participate in this (initiative), so we can make it better. We want to make the program useful to them and their input is very helpful,” she said.

CCI is the result of a partnership between the ISDA, the State Soil Conservation Board, Indiana Crop Consultant Advisors and 31 Soil and Water Conservation Districts. It’s also part of an ongoing effort to make ISDA a driver in conservation, according to Lawson.
For years, Indiana relied on conservation programs run by the federal government, which caused Indiana to fall behind other states and created bottlenecks for farmers who wanted to participate. But since the ISDA was created in 2005 and the Division of Soil Conservation became part of it, Indiana has tried to become more progressive on conservation.

“I think we’re moving into a new era when farmers need to be – and are – more conscientious about keeping the soils healthy for the next generations,” Lawson said. “We felt it was important for Indiana farmers to have an organization that drives conservation and doesn’t just stand on the sidelines.”

For more information about CCI, visit www.in.gov/isda/2362.htm or call the Division of Soil Conservation at 317-232-8770.